Of any film that has attempted to shoot using day for night tactics, none pulled it off better than NOPE. But director Jordan Peele and DP Hoyte van Hoytema had to use some incredibly innovative techniques to get there. If you’re not familiar with day for night, it’s simply the practice of shooting scenes in the daytime and color correcting...

In this episode, I share a breakdown of some amazing and unconventional lens choices on the feature film Poor Things. While many lenses were used throughout production, there were 4 in particular that I believe contributed most critically to the distinct look of this film – Including a pair of Lomography Petzval lenses, and a 4mm lens adapted...

In the last year… 17,000+ films were submitted to Sundance. 100,000+ new films were produced or released. 1,000,000+ filmmakers actively worked on original material. And in the next few years these numbers will only grow exponentially. Most filmmakers ignore the realities of how saturated the market has become. They put everything into a single...

In this episode I am joined by DIY filmmaker Marty McGowan, who recently completed his feature film Ava on a budget of just $200! Throughout the episode, we unpack Marty’s creative process, how he pulled off a feature with a 2 person crew, and his approach to building a strong visual palette on a budget. We also touch on his workflow for...

In recent years, Hollywood has become more open minded to unconventional creative choices – whether in regards to aspect ratios, coverage style, or glass. As part of this trend, we’ve seen many older / obscure lenses (including vintage Petzval portrait lenses), make their way onto major motion pictures. I previously wrote an article all...

There are countless reasons why filmmakers quit. But perhaps the most common culprit is rejection. All filmmakers face pushback when trying to build a career. Whether it’s a well meaning parent suggesting a more “stable” job, or an envious friend discouraging their creativity. Early on, most filmmakers are able to shut out the noise...